Boxing:Unbeaten Irish middleweight Andy Lee is refusing to be distracted by a late change of opponent after Carlos Aballe pulled out of tomorrow night's bout in Las Vegas. Lee (22), had been due to meet Aballe at the Orleans Casino, but the Cuban withdrew and has been replaced by American Arturo Ortega.

Lee was studying videos of Ortega last night and reckons that the 29-year-old Arizona-based puncher is a step up from Aballe.

He said: "I was only told yesterday that Aballe was pulled out but I never tend to focus too much on my opponents anyway, just on the fight itself.

"But he looks like he means business and he definitely has a better record than Aballe."

This will be Lee's seventh pro fight but his first eight-round contest.